Kail chair



Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,494

E. M. MELLINGER RAIL CHAIR Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'jz' i,

' INVENTOR. .Z'nzanaaZ M Mam??? ATTORNEY.

Feb 14, 1928. 1,659,494

I E. M MELLINGER RAIL CHAIR Filed July 18, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 2 772 an axe? M A/eZZfzzzger BYM/wbv A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES EMANUEL M, MELLINGER, OF GRIDLEY, CALIFORNIA.

RAI I. CHAIR.

Application filed July 18,

This invention relates to improvements in rail chairs and has as its general object to provide a rail chair which will be more substantial than the ordinary chair and which will effectually brace the rail supported thereby and, where employed in supporting the meeting ends of two rails, will effectually prevent relative displacement oi the rall ends as well as minimizing the clicking noise incident to travel of the train wheels over the said ends of the rails.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the base of the rail chair and the fish plates associated therewith as to preelude any displacement of the fish plates either with respect to the base plate or with respect to the rail supported by the chair, so that, while bolts are employed in secur ing the fish plates to the rail, at the same time the construction is such that in the event of the bolts becoming loosened, the fish plates will still retain their clamping engagement with the opposite sides of the supported rail so that the efliciency of the device is not appreciably impaired.

Another object of the invention is to proride a rail chair-,which, in one en'ibodimcnt, may be employed upon curved stretches of track to support the outer rail at the proper elevation thus obviating the necessity of ballasting the outer ends of the ties on such a track to cause the ties to assume an inclined position.

In the accompanying drawings i :55 Fig. 1 is a plan view of a rail chair constructed in accordance with the present invention and designed for use on a straight track, the View illustrating the chair employed in supporting the meeting ends of two rails;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the chair;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the chair, the view likewise illustrating the rail and the tie in section;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the face plate of the chair;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one end of one of the fish plates of the chair; 7

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a rail chair embodying the invention and constructed for employment on a curved stretch of track;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the rail chair shown in Figure 6;

Fig. '8 is a vertical transverse sectional 1927. Serial No. edema.

view through the rail chair shown in Figures 6 and 7 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the face plate of the chair.

The base plate of the rail chair embodying the invention, in that form shown in Figures 1 to 4.- inclusive, is indicated in general by the numerall and comprises a rail seating portion 2 upon which the base flanges 3 of the rail 4 are designed to rest, the upper surface of the seating portion being flat and the sides of the said portion being defined by shoulders 5 which are of a depth equal substantially to the thickness 01' the rail base flanges 3 at their outer edges, the said edges of the base flanges abutting the shoulders as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The base plate 1 is formed upon its upper side, at the opposite sides of the seating portion 2 with longitudinally extending, upstanding heads 6 which are approximately semi-circular in cross section, these heads extending the entire length of the base plate of the chair and each head being formed with a longitudinally extending channel 7 which is of cylindrical contour and which opens through the inner iface of the respective head 6 by way of a substantially horizontally disposed slot 8, the channel and slot extending throughout the entire length of the respective head 6. It will be observed by reference to Figures 3 and 4: of the drawings that the bottom wall of each slot 8, at its outer side, meets the upper edge of the respective shoulder 5 so that the lower side of each slot 8 is in a plane with the upper side of the respective base flange 3 of a rail disposed upon the seating'portion 2 of the base plate. In order to obviate any likelihood 01": contact of the wheel flanges with the base plate 1, the heads 6' thereof are preferably both vertically and transversely rounded at their ends as indicated by the numeral 6 and likewise the corners of the said base plate are both transversely and vertically rounded as indicated by the numeral 6 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Fish plates, indicated in general. by the numeral 9, are employed in connection with the base plate and each of these fish plates comprises an upstanding body portion 10 provided at its upper edge with a seating shoulder 11 of a contour to be squarely engaged by the under side of the head of the rail at the respective side of the said rail, the seating shoulder being of a width slightly greater than the width of the hea'd of the rail at the under side thereof between the web of the rail and the outer face of the said head, and the upperside of the seating shoulder, beyond the plane of the side of the rail head being curved downwardly and'out-' wardly. Each fish plate further, includes, a

base portion 12 which rests upon the upper sideof the respective base flan 'e of the rail, the upstanding bodies 10' of the fish, plates being disposedagainst the opposite sides of the Web of the rail, andthe said base. porition is inclined downwardly to correspond with the downward inclination of the upper surface of the baseflange of the railand of a widthto extend over the said upper face,

the portion 12,,beyondfthe inclined portion 2 0,

being extended horizontally to provide a portion 13 which is of dimensions to be snugly received within the slot Sin thecorrQSpQnding head 6 of the base plate 1. The

n rt 'n ea each fis pl te r nates ne. head 14, which is of approximately cylindrical contour and of. a diameter to snugly within thechannelZ in the manner clearly hown. inxr gue ar h dra n s, heb ad being of courseof a,,di,arnete1 greater than 1 h h mesw i e t ded po on 3 0f the base IQ Qfthe respective fish plate. In assemblingvthe fish plates; with the base plate 1 ofthe chair, after; thelchairlhas been dis-' posed uponltheties, indicatediathe drawings'by thereferenceletter T, andtherail, or the r i f hre ar wo o b pporte bythe'chair, disposedjupon the seating po tion. of the chair baseyplate 1, the fish p e re d nt nga em n ith, h bfa ejplate and rail or, rails, the heads 14 andfexte'nded portions '13 of the fishplates fitting snugly, in the channels 7 and slots S'respectiVely, of the. respectiveheadsfi. Witlrt hep'art'sthus assembled, the upstand- 7 ing, bodies l'Qof the fish plates will, snugly embrace the opposite. sides of the ,Web of the rail and the seating shoulders 1l will snugly engage the under sideof the head of the rail, Securing bolts lhare then sec re hr gh l hwe i pe ngs n e. fis

plates and rail web andspikeslti are driven through openings 17, formed in the outer marginal portions of the baseplate land into the ties T,

It will be evident, that inasmuch, as the upper and; under; sides of the extensions 13 of the base por,ti(; ns]12v ofQthe. fish plates are in abutting relation to the wallsiof the slots ,8 ',in the respectiye. heads 6, there will be m? ik lihood. f pward, i hl qe ht he sh Pl tes; a dfih a e anges l be' llfildfillljlly, upon the rail ,seat12, 'Itwill also bei vident hati he e an. e l tiv d splacement of theme'eting ends of two rails I supported by the chair, in a vertical direction, and consequently the usual clicking noise which is produced by the passage of the train wheels over the ends of: railway rails is minimized.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive is identical with the embodiment just described except that, whereas in the first described embodi- I ment, the upper surface of the rail seating portion 2 of the base plate 1 is parallel to the under, surface of the plate and therefore horizontal whenthe chair is established in position u onthetie on a straight stretch oftraok, in t e modified structure theupper side of the rail seating portion of the base plate is inclined downwardly from one sidev I to the other' at a greater or. less angle as most 1 clearly shown in F1gures8 and 9. of the,

drawings and in accordance with the degree of curvature of the track rails tobe supported by the chair.

Inasmuch as, asipreviously stated, the RID- bodiinent shown in Figures 6 to 9' inclusive is identical with the embOdin ent shown in;

Figures 1 to 5inclusive, except inthe-respect above outhned, parts in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive correspondin to partsin Fig ures l to 5finclusive are indicated by the corresponding referencenumerals with the addition of the exponent a. i i

It will be evident thatfdue to the inclination ofthe upper sideof; the rail meet ing portion 2 of the base plate of thechair shown in the. said Figures 6 to9 inclusive, the outer rail, of a curvedtsection of track, supported by, the chair will be suitably elevated with respect to the inner rail, thus obviating the necessity of so ballasting the ill) and provided with longitudinal; channels 7 and with slots leading from the sides of the channels and opening through, the op;

posing sides of, the head, and fish plates and base Inembers, thef said base members having upstanding rail clamping members of the fishplates being provided with marginal portions fitting in the said slotsvin the head and with enlargedlongitudinal beads fitting in the channels of the respective heads.

2'. A rail chair comprising a base plate having a rail seating a portion, heads exte ding longitudinally of the, plateat opposite sides of the, said seating portion thereof,

each of the heads having an approximately cylindrical channel formed longitudinallyj members, the said base members of the fish llb plates being provided with portions fitting in the slots in the respective heads of the base plate and with approximately cylindrical beads fitting in the said channels.

3. A rail chair comprising a base plate having a rail seating portion, heads eX- tending longitudinally of the plate at opposite sides of the said seating portion thereof, each of the heads having an approximately cylindrical channel formed longitudinally therein and having a slot formed therein extendin between one side of the channel and the inner side of the head and opening therethrough, and fish plates having upstanding rail clamping members and base members, the said base members oi the fish plates being provided with portions fitting in the slots in the respective heads of the base plate and with approximately cylindrical beads fitting in the said channels, the base members of the fish plates being downwardly inclined to seat upon the inclined upper sides of the respective base flanges of a rail disposed upon the seating portion of the base plate, the said slots in the heads and the portions of the base members of the fish plates which are engaged in said slots being substantially horizontally disposed, the bead of each fish plate base member being of a diameter greater than the thickness 01" the slot-engaging portion of the base member whereby the base members of the fish plates have interlocking engagement with the head of the base plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EMANUEL M. MELLINGER. 

